National Republican., 1887-09-02
.Tbree Remove, from n Cornfsld."


The remarkable changes witnessed In the
growth of the city Of Washington during
the last two decades is one of tho most
noticeable features Of memorable period.
The above expression, healing this article,
was made use of by Mr.. Wall, OF the
wel.femembored firm of Wall, Robinson
d Co., and In earlier days Stephenson "
Wall, referring to the store on Pennsylva-
mia avenue between Ninth and Tenth
streets which has been occupied by the
Boston Dry Goods House for the past five
years and vacated by them in April, when
they occupied their new store on + street.
"1his huilding,n said he, lis three removes
from curnheld The present structure was
erected Just prior to the breaking out Of the
civil war and occupied by Stephenson S
Wsll as q clothing store, aud was justly
considered one OF the wonders Of the city,
principally on account Of tue richness OF It's
int rior decorations,
Passing by the store to-day see that me-
cbanics are stripping the interior OF all OF its
contents, leaving only The brick party walls,
no doubt preparing IL for reoccupancy.
The casual visitor to the store (when occu
pied by Woodward IL Lothrop) would be apt
to see only an unsightly network OF cash
railway fixtures, and the inevitable decOra-
tion Of the top walls by means Of merchan-
disc, yet there was visible here and there
portions of its fine stuccO-mouldings aud
corpices, which with richness OF its ceilings
and walls, the symmetry OF its arched and
| clustered shelving, rendered 1t one Of the
most magnificent stores In the city,
Since that time there have been many
| elaborate and costly stores erected In this
| city, but at this time, at the breaking out
Of the civil war, 1t had no rival.
q, The building preceding this one was an
I6npretentious brick structure two stories
| in height, and was used for mercantile pur-
poses; while before this came the corn
field alluded to, which was upon the
east bank of small creek or run, which
| had It's origin In the white house
| springs In Franklin square; flowing south
easterly toward g street, between Ninth
and Tenth; then almost due south across
F, Z, ID, Pennsylvania avenue, g street,
| and into the Tiber west Of the western end
| Of the Center market.
| When the honorable commissioners
meted and bounded the federal territory,
the magnificent boulevard known us Penn
| sylvania avenue, the finest street In the
new world was invaded by creeks aud mo
raises. swamps and pools, while alders and
scrub oaks sheltered only the four-footed
and feathered denizens OF the forest, and
| for many years thereafter only its grand
and majestic proportions betrayed any
| promise, however small, OF its present
| beauty.
Tom Moore, the poet, was a visitor to the
city In 1904, when he was young man
and his impressions Of the city are vividly
| portrayed. lie says:
This famed metropolis. where fincy sees
| Squares in morasses, o "liSkS in trees,
Which travelling fools and gazetteers adorn
| with shines unbuilt aud herOes yet unborn,
| Though nougbt but wood and - tney scs
Where streets should run and sagts ought to be
Al. ia. sl,.. -
river came up to the spot now occupied by th,
Center Market, and vessels of light draugh,
came to that point to receive aud deliver
their cargocs. Old reeidents will easily re
call the bridges across the Tiber to til,
Island, as South Washington was then
called, as well as the bridges across the
canal nearer the Capitol.
| Pennsylvania avenue, from the Capitol Il
the Presidents house. was planted will
rows Of Lombardy poplars aud a ilagstOnt
foOtwalk was laid on one side of 1t from
the former mentioned point to Rock creek
during the presidential term OF Thomas
Jefferson, whose interest In the growth OF
the new city was deeply manifested. Ii
1889 many Of the trees had died, and Con
gress having made an appropriation
Of $4,000 for the purpose Of paving th,
avenue, the remainder were removed. II
was during the progress OF this work, TIL,
paving of the avenue with cobblestones
that there was visitation from the
scourge-the Asiatic cholera--and the work
was temporarily suspended. A writer II
1s4S says: "rhis fine avenue is now mac id
smized between the Capitol and III terriOl,
Presidents house, and forms one of the mos
beautiful streets In Washington" In 1871
1t was paved with the Nicholson wood
pavement, and on Feb. 90 and 81 of that
year the whole population of the city in
dulged In the grand carnival and mas
querade on the avenue I'm honor of its com
pletiOn. A~few years sutllced for the woot
pavement, and the present asphalt pave
ment was laid. which has proved to be the
most satisfactory Of all.
Surely times have changed since DR.. VIII
lam Gunton. the wel-remembered apothe
cary at the corner Of Ninth street and the
avenue, lost his shoe In the oozy mud at tht
Seventh street crossing, and recovered 4
only with some difficulty, and when Mrs
Michael Sardo kept boarding house oil
the southwest corner OF Pennsylvania ave
nue and Tenth street, aud numbered amonl
her regulars dozen or more senat rs anC
representatives to Congress. In 1920 Or
Gunton purchased the estate on the corne
OF Ninth street and Pennsylvania avenue
for the sum OF $4,000, and a few years laJe
bought the adjoining house for $1,000,
ridiculously small sum when we consider
its value to-day, and all this leads us back
Ntt.lI boo Ia